Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/595

many times shorter than the very long linear oblong sub truncate cuspidate limb. Spadix equalling the spathe. (J. D. Hoooker.) Appendage longer than the inflorescence. Ovary l-celled, stigma sessile 3-4 cleft.

Uses :— Medicinally it is said to be useful in anasarca. The flour obtained by pounding the dried stems boiled with rice flour until all the water has evaporated, is given to the patient and no other food allowed.

" As a food taken frequently, it seems to act as a mild laxative and diuretic. In piles and habitual constipation it is useful." (Surg. D. Basu, Faridpur.) " The flour of old dried stems is a valuable article of food for invalids. It is an excellent substitute for arrowroot and sago in place of which I have used it in many instances." (Asst. Surg. Shib Ch. Bhutt, Chanda). "The ash of the root-stocks mixed with honey is used in cases of aphthæ." (Asst. Surg. Anund Ch. Mukerji, Noakhally.) — Watt's dictionary.

In an interesting paper on the " Use of Manmanda in Indian Therapeutics and its probable explanation," Dr. Lai Mohan Ghoshal writes in Foods and Drugs for April 1913, as follows : —

Composition and preparation of Manmanda.— The kochu of at least one year's standing is taken, dried and pulverised into fine powder ; this is then prepared with rice into pasty mass by boiling ; this paste is sufficiently macerated and filtered through fine muslin. The filtrate is then allowed to be taken as food. The composition of such a manda is the following :—

Protein— 1.78 p. c. (increase in protein is due to to the addition of rice) ;

Carbo-hydrate- 20.21 p. c; Moisture— 77.27 p. c; Fat— a trace only.

The filtrate is a syrupy paste, slightly acrid or unpleasant in taste; reaction for calcium oxalates can be obtained by filtering the paste through a filter paper and evaporating the watery portion.

This is all about the composition of man-kochu and the preparation of manmanda.

The question now arises, what is there in the manmanda that leads the kabirajas to use the manmanda so indiscriminately in all sorts of œdema and dropsy. Generally from 4oz to a pint of the manda is given according to the strength of the patient ; if the patient is strong and the œdema is of recent origin the treatment is mainly directed to the starvation of the patient, strict regulation of water (sometimes it is altogether cut off) and administration of about 8oz of the manda ; if the patient is weak and has got a good deal of thirst associated with fever, manmanda about a pint is